Shark Tank is the United States adaptation of the business-investment format associated with Dragons' Den.
The American series premiered on ABC in 2009. Entrepreneurs present businesses to a panel of wealthy investors, known as Sharks, and seek money in exchange for an ownership stake. The structure closely matches the central pitch-and-negotiation concept used by Dragons' Den.
The terminology changes between versions: British investors are called Dragons, while the American investors are called Sharks. The US programme also developed its own panel, presentation style and television identity rather than simply copying the BBC cast.
Dragons' Den itself is part of an international format family that originated in Japan. Shark Tank should not be confused with the separate American reality series The Apprentice, which focuses on employment and business tasks rather than entrepreneurs pitching for investment.